What Is Your Risk of Attending BCMC?

I happened to come upon a quote by Henry Ford that seems apropos, "When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it."

This has been our world since March 15, and the question is where do we go from here? The only way is up, and fortunately, NAHB prognosticates that component packages and housing stand poised to lead the recovery.

On June 10 Robert Dietz of NAHB reported, “The reopening of the economy in most states has led to a rapid reversal for the jobs outlook and the prospects for the beginning of a recovery in the third quarter. Housing data indicate the industry will lead the way in such a rebound……Historically low interest rates and a more rapid than expected improvement in the labor market should set the stage for a V-shaped recovery for housing, which in turn will provide support for the overall economy as a rebound takes shape in the second half of the year."

So what does this have to do with BCMC? It seems clear that the construction industry is going to be back to a “new normal” quickly. BCMC is the right place at the right time to gather to “Sharpen Everyone’s Vision” for the rest of 2020 and beyond. BCMC will be the best industry “family reunion” ever. Component Manufacturers (CMs) have realized they have a whole new set of problems through this pandemic, who better to help them with those problems than their trusted suppliers they see year after year at BCMC?

Yet, a key question is, what risk is there of attending a tradeshow in person? The best way to assess risk generally is to gather the best set of facts possible and then make objective decisions. The best set of COVID risk facts that we could quickly find follow:

This type of information helps us understand risk with more depth of knowledge. In this case, this data review provides more information than is reported publicly. It helps define the risk of bad outcomes.

Will there be risk in attending BCMC this year? Yes, but these statistics suggest that the risk of a major issue, because one attends BCMC, is very low for the typical BCMC attendee.

The team at the Columbus Convention Center and BCMC staff are working to make BCMC as risk free and as normal as it can possibly be.

I happened to fly to Detroit yesterday. Most people in the airport were not wearing masks and everyone was comfortable with that. Everyone on the plane was asked to wear a mask during the boarding and de-boarding process, yet food was served so masks were optional in-between. Not yet normal, but everyone I spoke with has a strong desire to get back to living our lives normally.

The U.S. has really only been 80% open since June 1. There is still much to learn and with each passing day we learn more. Columbus and BCMC staff are taking in all the new information we can each day, so we make wise decisions about ensuring our event is fun and as normal as it can be.

This will be a historic BCMC family reunion, one like there has never been before. We hope each of you will not miss this opportunity for our community to get back together again, learn from each other, and continue to move forward with a clear passionate vision that is uplifted by a hopeful future.